My sister Melody
by the frozen cherry
Summary: "For there is no friend like a sister In calm or stormy weather; To cheer one on the tedious way, To fetch one if one goes astray, To lift one if one totters down, To strengthen whilst one stands." -Christina Rossetti
1. 6 months

6 months

I wake up to see a strange face peering over me, a kind face. She picks me up and holds me gently.

'Oh Mother, she's beautiful' this strange person whispers

'I know she is' comes a familiar voice, my mother's voice.

'I squirm and kick my chubby limbs and twist my head trying to look for her.

'Abby, I'm here' she says appearing next to this strange lady who is holding me. I calm and settle in this woman's arms at the sight of my mother's familiar red hair. I look up at the lady holding me, she has this magnificent mane of curly hair and I have this sudden urge to touch it.

'Ouch!' she exclaims, struggling against my strong grasp, I tug on her hair marvelling at its springiness. 'Abby, please can you let go of my hair' she asks but I hold on. Finally she manages to unwind her precious hair from my little fingers and I screw my eyes up in frustration. As if she can sense that my tears are about to fall, she rocks me back and forth making these soothing shushing noises. 'Please don't cry'

I look back up at her and my eyes meet her eyes, exactly identical to mine, I blink in shock. 'Hi Abby I'm your sister Melody' she says. I don't know what that word means but I guess it means something good.


	2. 9 months

9 months

I sit upright, supported by several cushions on the floor, a pile of shiny coloured objects surround me. Apparently today is called Christmas and it seems special. Melody sits on the floor next to me and passes me some of the shiny objects. I grab at them, my fingers tearing through the paper and tipping the contents on the floor. I glance quickly at what has fallen out before turning my attention back to the paper. I grab a fistful of scraps of the paper and throw them up in the air giggling as they fall back to the ground. Melody joins in with my laughter and picks up some more paper and throws it up into the air.

Daddy comes into the room and he laughs at the sight of me and Melody covered in the shiny wrapping paper. He bends down and whispers something in Melody's ear causing her eyes to light up.

'Really' she asks Daddy who just nods before picking me up and placing me on his hip. Mummy appears at the door leading a strange man into the room. He looks odd, different from Daddy and Grandpa, he looks funny.

Melody takes one look at him, before hurtling towards him, throwing her arms around him and knocking him backwards. I wonder who this man is and why Melody has done that.

'River' he whispers wrapping his arms around Melody and giving her a hug. Why has he called Melody, River? Her name is Melody. I look up at Daddy and at Mummy, but they don't seem bothered by this man calling Melody a different name, they are just standing there with smiles on their faces.

'And who's this?' he asks, catching sight of me, snuggling into Daddy's Christmas jumper. Melody come over and takes me from Daddy towards this strange man. He looks at me oddly and I bury my head into my sister's shoulder.

'This is Abigail Jenifer Williams' Melody announces to the man.

'Hello Abigail' he says quietly 'I'm the Doctor'

I turn around to look at this 'Doctor' and he gives me an encouraging smile. I smile back at him before spot that he is wearing something rather peculiar. I reach, leaning out of Melody's arms towards it and grab hold of the offending item, pulling on it sharply.

'Hey bowties are cool' he exclaims as everyone else laughs.

'Did River put you up to this?' he asks looking down at me

'Of course I didn't sweetie' Melody replies, responding to that other name. 'My sister just agrees with me that bowties aren't cool'


	3. 3 years

3 years

'Higher, higher!' I demand as I soar through the air, sitting on the swing in the park across the road. Melody complies and gives the swing another push so I soar higher into the air, backwards and forwards. A sound of absolute glee ripples out of my mouth as I swing to the highest point and reach out because it feels like I could just touch the sky. I lean forward to touch the nearest cloud but I'm stopped by the bar across side of the swing. Melody had put me in one of the baby swings though I had assured her that I was a big girl now.

The swinging finally stopped and I put my arms in the air so Melody could lift me out of the seat.

'You would've fallen off the swing, if you had not been in that seat' she says setting me down on the ground

'But I want to fly' I reply holding onto her hand as we walk back towards the house.

'Maybe when you are older' she replies, as we cross the road. Mummy is at the door waiting for us.

'Did you have a good time?' she asks me, noting my rosy nose and cheeks and my dirty knees and grubby hands, from playing the sandpit. I nod before walking into the house before stopping to see if Melody is coming in as well. She and Mummy are talking.

'Are you sure River?' Mummy asks Melody 'you're welcome to stay'

'I'd better get back before the Stormcage guards realise that I've gone' she replies

I watch with sadness as she gives mummy a hug before turning around and walking away from the house before disappearing. Melody never stays and I wonder why.


	4. 8 years

8 years

'You've been such a brave girl' Mum says sitting next to me in the hospital as the nurse puts a blue plaster cast on my arm. I wince as the plaster is layered over the fracture, the doctor said it was only small and even though I had seen the x-rays and he had tried explained them to me but it still hurt so much.

'Just finished my shift' Daddy says, coming into the plaster room and sitting down next to Mum. Dad works as a nurse at the hospital. I don' know what type of nurse he is but I think it is quite a sad job because he sometimes comes home sad. I don't know what I want to be when I grow up but I don't want to be a nurse like Dad, I want to do something fun.

'How was today?' Mum whispers quietly

'Premature triplets' Dad sighs sinking into the chair as we wait for the plaster to dry 'only one survived'

'Oh God' Mum replies wrapping her arm around Dad 'their poor mother'

'They were so small and helpless and we tried everything'

Dad's depressing story is cut off by the arrival of another person in the Plaster room.

'Abby what did you do?' she asks blond curls flying everywhere.

'River, why are you here?' my mum asks my sister

'I came for a visit' she replies calmly. 'I went into the house to find the note you had left Dad, just in case he left work before you got to the hospital, then I headed here'

Mum and Dad seem to accept this explanation without any questions but I can see holes in this story, firstly how did Melody actually to the hospital, she couldn't have walked because the hospital is miles away from our house and she doesn't have a car. However before I can ask her any questions she asks me what happened and this causes me to launch into a very long detailed explanation as to why I got into a fight with Trudy in my class.

'She was being really mean to my friend Tessa, calling her lots of mean names just because she wears glasses and then she insulted me by making fun of my hair'

'You are so like your mother' Dad remarks, ruffling my red curls after I finish the story.

'As much as people tease you, you shouldn't get into fights' Melody advises wisely. 'Fights cause nothing but trouble'

Mum and Dad just snort before Melody joins in with their laughter and I am left wondering what is so funny


	5. 13 years

13 years

'Abigail Jenifer Williams, come back here right now!' my Mum shouts after me as I storm out of the house.

'Leave me alone' I scream back at her. I walk further and further into the garden until I come to my secret spot, which no one, except me knows about. I climb the tree and perch myself on one of the branches hidden from anyone walking on the ground but I so can pear through the leaves and look and the stars.

Life is so unfair and my parents are being totally unreasonable, they keep on treating me like a baby and don't let me do anything. They are not letting me go to Mark's party. Mark is this boy at my school who is absolutely gorgeous.

'He's too old' Mum had stated, her arms crossed.

I had begged and pleaded but still they were not letting me go. Mark was only two years above me at school and I was the only person in my class to have been asked to his 16th birthday party.

'Definitely not' my Dad had added firmly.

So I had fled to my refuge, why didn't my parents understand me? Surely they had been young once, though it was hard to believe? As I lie staring up at the stars, I hear someone approaching my tree.

'Found you' comes a familiar voice at the base of the tree

'Melody!' I shriek, jumping down from the tree and into my sister's arms and giving her a hug. 'I didn't realise you were here'

She doesn't tell me how she got here or how she even knew where my hiding place was but drags me towards this blue box, which is plonked next to Dad's gardening shed on top of Mum's roses.

'Hello Abigail!'

'Doctor!' I cry with delight running forwards to give the strange man an awkward hug, since was half inside the Tardis. When I was ten Mum and Dad had tried to explain to me why when River and the Doctor visited us they always appeared out of an old police box. I had found it quite hard to understand at first, how this wooden box was able to travel through time and space. I had been inside a couple of times but Mum and Dad had never allowed him to take me anywhere because apparently he had a really bad track record and was not reliable at all.

The doors of the Tardis close behind me and Melody as I head towards the console. I am always amazed by the Tardis' interior; it's so beautiful and bright.

'River, what's Abby doing here?' the Doctor asks in a hushed voice

'Parent problems, Sweetie' Melody replies, kissing his cheek before coming up the steps to stand next to me as I stare at all the odd buttons on the console. 'So where so you want to go?' she asks me.

'River, you know Amy and Rory won't let us take her anywhere' the Doctor protests

'Sweetie, they won't _you _take her anywhere, they know my flying and timing is better than yours'

I decided to stop this argument before it really starts, since I know Melody as quite a temper. 'Can I see the stars?' I ask hopefully.

Melody just gives me a knowing smile, before running round the console pushing lots of buttons and flicking lots of switches. 'Open the door' she says finally and I hurry towards the Tardis' doors. Slowly I yank one of them open and am greeted with awe inspiring sight. Thousands upon thousands of stars twinkle brightly.

'It's beautiful' I cry before sitting down by the door

'We're in the Andromeda galaxy at one of the most stunning spots in the universe' Melody says, sitting down beside me. We sit in silence for a couple of minutes taking in the sight of all the stars.

'Where's our sun?' I ask finally

'See that smudge of stars over there' Melody says pointing to a faint group of stars in the distance 'that's the Milky Way galaxy and our sun is in one of its spirals'

'Wow'

'So what's wrong?' she asks me and I explain how unfair our parents are being, treating me so unfairly. Melody listens patiently, nodding her head in all the right places and asking the right questions at the right moments.

'They just want to protect you' She says finally 'they don't want you to grow up too quickly'

'But they are smothering me'

'They love you so much Abby, more that you can possibly know, you're their little girl and they don't want to lose, like they lost me' she adds quietly, so quiet that I barely catch it.

'So what do you suggest I do?

Melody launches into a long explanation about how should probably apologise to my parents and that they are probably right about not letting me go to that party. She also tells that I have to show them that I am growing up and that I can be more mature if I want to be more independent

'How do you know all the answers?' I ask once she has finished.

'Spoilers' she replies, tapping the side of her nose before standing up and pulling me up with her. 'Let's get you back home'

The Tardis lands back in my garden and after the Doctor has double and triple the time and date I am allowed out of the Tardis. Melody walks me to the door. 'Thank you so much' I whisper giving her a big hug, you're the best sister ever'

'No problem' she replies, kissing the top of my head, before pushing me out of the door and in the direction of the house.


	6. 18 years

18 years

'...Happy Birthday to you' everyone sings as I blow out the 18 candles which cover the cake Mum has made for me.

'Make a wish' Melody adds as I inhale a whole load of smoke. Both Melody and the Doctor are here for my birthday dinner, I'm glad they were able to make it since over the past year we have been seeing them less frequently. This Melody looks older than the one who came to stay last Christmas. That being said Melody never really changes, her hair remains unbelievably curly, I straighten mine now, and she still has this air of confidence about her. However it's her eyes that give her age away and today they look old and tired. I had once asked her how old she was but she did not answer my question and changed the sunject. Mum and Dad also seemed to have noticed the change in Melody since they asked her where she was and her answer, I did not hear what it was, caused understanding to flood onto their faces and Mum to wrap Melody in a big hug.

'We know who you are now' they had whispered

I am jogged into the present by Melody asking me how school is going, since it is my final year.

'It's ok' I reply 'but I'm scared about the exams'

'You'll be fine' she replies with a knowing smile.

'How do I do?' I ask eagerly, realising that she must know what my results are going to be like

'Spoilers!' she says giving me a big grin as if to communicate to me that I'll be ok before turning to talk to Dad about something.

'I can't believe you're 18!' Mum exclaims coming up with her camera and taking lots of unnecessary pictures of me with all my presents. Finally she is finished.

'Mum, do you have any photos of Melody's 18th birthday?' I ask

'They're somewhere' she says vaguely before going over to talk to the Doctor. I wonder if I've said something wrong, but I never see any pictures of when Melody was young anywhere around the house, just recent ones, whereas there are lots of embarrassing ones of me. I sigh, knowing that I'm probably not going to find out the answers to all my questions tonight or any time soon.


	7. 20 years

20 years

'It's a bit pokey' Melody remarks as she walks around my flat, inspecting it.

'Well did you expect I'm only a student' I reply, leaning against the bookcase, filled with aviation manuals, with my arms crossed.

'I don't know, I thought it might be tidier!' she says with a cheeky smile

'And I suppose where you live, everything thing is spotless and you have lots of space' I retort

'Do you want to see where I live?' she asks suddenly and I am taken aback by this question. As long as I have known Melody, which is since forever, she has never offered to show me where she lives.

I just nod my head and she takes hold of my hand and places it on a leather strap on her wrist. 'Hold on tight' she whispers before placing her hand on top of mine.

There is a sharp sudden burst of blinding white light and I find myself sprawled on cold grey floor. I stand up slowly feeling quite nauseous, light headed and dizzy. 'What was that?' I ask weakly, trying to keep the contents of my stomach down.

'Vortex manipulator, cheep nasty time travel' Melody replies calmly handing me a bucket as nature takes its course and my breakfast comes up.

'Thanks' I whisper as she hands we some water

'No problem' she replies. 'I'll just leave this out for the guards to sort out' she says, picking up my bucket and placing it by the door. I finally have a change to look around; I see bars at the window and along one side of the room, which is about a quarter the size of my flat. Everything seems to be grey and through the high small window it looks like it is raining.

'Melody, where are we?'

'This is the Stormcage Containment Facility in the 51st century' she replies, gesturing for me to come and sit down next to her on the small bed in the corner.

'Is this a prison?' I ask in disbelief

'Yes' she replies not looking me in the eye

'But how can you be in prison?' I ask, looking at my sister, my wonderful sister, my amazingly glamorous, enchanting older sister who now looked so small, sitting against the cold grey wall of her cell.

'It's a long story' she replies 'and don't you have a date tonight?' she asks trying to change the subject.

'Melody!' I say in frustration 'I am tired of not being kept in the dark I want to know the truth. Besides, you can take me back so it would be like no time has passed at all'

'Fine' she replies, turning to face me and taking a deep breath. She picks up her old battered Tardis blue diary and begins to tell her story.

My head pounds as I try and take in everything she is telling me, stories about somewhere called Demons Run and of Lake Silencio in Utah. She tells me about how she was kidnapped and raised to kill the Doctor and how she grew up with Mum and Dad.

'Are you ok?' she asks, looking at me as I hold my head in my hands, having finally finished her story.

'Yeah' I reply 'it's just a lot to take in'

We sit side by side in silence for a while as I still go over and process all the information. I look at Melody closely, it's like I'm looking at her through a different set of eyes. I go back through my memories and everything suddenly makes a lot of sense, why she never stays and why there are no pictures of her growing up at home.

'So why are you in prison if the Doctor is not dead?' I ask finally

'Because the universe has to think he is dead' Melody replies

'And doesn't it bother you that you are locked up here?' I ask, knowing that I would be driven insane staring at these dull four walls all the time.

'I love him' she says simply 'that mad man in his blue box...' she trails off looking off into the distance wistfully as if she is remembering all their happy times together.

A while later I'm back in my flat. I look at recent picture of me and Melody smiling at the camera when we went to visit the Pompeii last summer, it seems such a long time ago. As my headache gets worse, I pick up the phone and dial Jack's number.

'Hey' I say as he answers the phone 'I don't feel like going out, I think I'm coming down with something'

'Do you want me to come over?' he asks in that sweet concerned way of his.

I debate my answer for a moment, on the one hand I really want to be alone, but on the other hand I just want someone's comforting arms around me.

'Yes'

Jack comes around half an hour later, armed with a tub of my favourite ice cream and a rented DVD. We snuggle together underneath a blanket on the sofa and watch the film. However, the film and Jack's presence can't distract me from thinking about my sister and how now there is something different between us.


	8. 25 years

25 years

'My baby girl is all grown up' Mum weeps as she helps straighten my veil and tiara on top of my head.

Today I am getting married and I can't quite believe it, I've had to ask Melody to pinch me just to check that I'm not dreaming at least five times already this morning. It had taken a while for Melody and I to get back on best friend terms after her big revelation about being a psychopath, there had been quite a few awkward meeting when we did not know what to say to each other but I guess we just got over it. However I was quite glad Melody thought that the Doctor would not make it_, 'Abbs, you know how bad he is a flying the Tardis!', _since I did not want to ruin my wedding by slapping the man who was the reason that my sister was innocently locked up in some jail in the 51st century.

'Mother, don't cry' Melody says, handing Mum a tissue as they get me ready.

Mum dabs her eyes carefully, trying to wreck her make up before looking at her phone. 'Dad says that Jack and his best man have arrived at the church' she says, looking up from reading her texts. 'He also adds that the flower arrangements look lovely and won't clash with your hair'

Melody makes a sound like she's trying not to laugh and I turn to give her a scathing look.

'These things are important' Mum says trying to diffuse the tension between us and prevent an argument which could occur because we both inherited her temper.

'Mother, you ran away on your wedding night' Melody comments as we wait for the taxi to arrive. Mum's retort is silenced by another text from Dad.

'Your flower girl and her family are stuck in traffic, so might be a bit late' she tells me. I close my eyes and take a deep breath; _it's going to be alright_, I tell myself, trying not to get worked up. It was my wedding day and I wanted it to perfect. Because I saw Melody so infrequently I had not managed to ask her to be my bridesmaid so Jack had suggested his sweet 8 year old cousin, Molly.

'I'm so glad I didn't have to deal with this when I got married' Melody remarks gesturing around the room, her hand pointing at me sitting anxiously in my white dress and Mum standing in her mother of the bride outfit, complete with matching hat, in the corner holding a pack of tissues.

'So you've finally decided that you are married to the Doctor' Mum says with a teasing smile

'Well it was quiet hard to work out' Melody replies defensively. 'You now I don't do weddings and it was on top of a pyramid in an aborted timeline and the Doctor, who was not really the Doctor but a giant robot, performed a hasty battlefield condensed Gallifreyan version of a wedding ceremony, which he just made up on the spot, with a bow tie'. She throws her arms up in the air at the mention of that particular hated item of clothing.

Mum just laughs and I suppose on any other day I would be laughing too, because it sounds utterly ridiculous. However today is my wedding day and quite selfishly I want all the attention to be on me as I marry Jack, not my charismatic, charming, time travelling, gun welding older sister.

Mum's phone beeps again. 'Molly has arrived and looks beautiful' she says and I breathe a sigh of relief, today is my wedding day and it is going to be wonderful.


	9. 31 years

31 years

I rock the small baby back and forth in my arms and stare down at her in awe. I can't believe that this beautiful thing came from inside me. I press a kiss to the top of her head; it looks like she's got her dad's dark hair not my red. As I hold her close, breathing in her lovely scent of new baby, the door of the hospital room clicks open.

I look up expecting it to be Jack, back from informing various relatives of our daughter's arrival into the world but it isn't him. 'Melody' I whisper as my sister enters the room, closing the door behind her.

'Look at you Abby' she says, coming to sit in the chair next to the bed 'you're practically glowing'

'No I'm not' I reply, looking back down at my perfect little girl. I know I look tired with sweat drenched red curls up in a scruffy bun, it was a difficult birth but it was worth it in the end.

'She's beautiful' Melody says, reaching out to stroke my daughter's cheek 'What's her name?'

'Ella' I reply, thinking about the name Jack and I have chosen 'Ella Felicity Taylor'

Melody just gives a murmur of approval, continuing to stroke Ella's cheek.

'Do you want to hold her?' I ask. Melody just nods and I carefully lift Ella up and pass her over to my sister, positioning her correctly in Melody's arms.

Ella squirms slightly realising the change before calming down as Melody rocks her. I watch them as we sit in silence, taking in the sight of this small baby. Melody keeps on looking down at Ella, I see her eyes well up and a small tear trickle out of her eye and make its way down her cheek, where it is quickly brushed aside.

'Have you thought about having any children?' I ask quietly

'I did think about it once' Melody replies sadly 'but in the end the Doctor and I decided it probably wouldn't be a good idea'

'But why?'

'Abby, can you see me raising a child' she remarks. 'I live in a prison for a start, not to mention me and Doctor keep on meeting in the wrong order, my past is his future so having a kid would only add to how complicated everything is already and probably creating quite a few paradoxes on the way.'

I reach out of the bed and touch her arm comfortingly. It is so sad, since I can see from the way she is looking at Ella and the way she looked after me when I was younger, Melody would be a great mother. There are two dreams I had when I was growing up, one was to learn how to fly and the second was to have a family and now I am achieving them.

'Would you like to be her Godmother?' I ask Melody, who looks at me curiously. 'I mean, we'll probably ask Taryn, Jack's sister to be her official Godmother since Jack doesn't really know you and your not always on planet but...' I trail off looking at her, hoping she understands what I'm getting at.

'I'd love to be her unofficial Godmother' she replies, placing a kiss on top of Ella's head and whispering something into her ear.

Eventually Ella starts to fuss, struggling in Melody's arms. 'I think she's hungry' I say apologetically, knowing how much Melody is enjoying holding my daughter. Melody reluctantly passes Ella before standing up and walking to the door with a look I can't identify in her eyes.

'Melody, are you ok?' I ask

'I better be going, Jack will be back at any minute' she replies, ignoring my question.

'Are you going back to the Stormcage?'

'No' she replies 'I'm staying at Mum and Dad's for a couple of days'

'You're welcome to come around at anytime' I say as she walks out of the door but she doesn't hear me.


	10. 38 years

38 years

'Happy New Year ' Dad says as a toast and our glasses come together with a clink before for we all take a sip of champagne to celebrate the new year.

'Let's hope it's better than last year' I add quietly. Mum just gives me a sympathetic look, overhearing my muttered hope. She raises her glass as if to agree with me before being dragged into a conversation with the Doctor who has joined them for New Years. Well, actually he and Melody were aiming for Christmas Day but apparently he was driving so they arrived on New Year's Eve instead.

I let sigh and sink into the depths of Mum and Dad's worn sofa clutching my glass of champagne. I really really want this year to be better than the last one. I spent Christmas this year with Mum and Dad and the children. Jack's with his parents. We haven't split up nor had a really big fight, Tina, his mum, had a stroke at the beginning of February so our whole year has been spent worrying about her and trying to explain to the children why Grandma was a bit different. I had offered to go with him to his parent's for Christmas but he said the children deserved a Happy Christmas.

I look across at Melody who comes to sit next to me, she has this wistful look in her eyes as she watches her husband, The Doctor explain something to Mum and Dad, his arms waving widely in the air and speaking at a hundred words a minute. This past year has been tough on Melody as well, she knew it was bound to happen but she is now meeting younger versions of The Doctor, versions that don't know who she really is and versions that don't trust her.

I've never seen Melody so upset until she turned up on my doorstep just after I had put Bryony and Dominic to bed and was in the process of bathing Ella. The door bell had rung and with Ella in the bath I had rushed down the stairs, opened the door and Melody had practically flung herself at me. I had made her a cup of tea before putting Ella to bed with a promise that she could spend some time with her Aunty Mel in the morning. Melody had then spent the rest of the night telling me about her adventure with the Doctor and younger versions of our parents to Utah, where she had watched him 'die' all over again before having an adventure with his younger self. What made it worse was she could not tell any of them the truth.

'I so wanted to blurt out everything about the silence and how Mum was not really there but I couldn't.' I had tried to comfort her as best as I could and she ended up falling asleep on my sofa.

'Oh look at my beautiful girls' Mum says walking over to, slightly wobbly from the champagne we have all been consuming and plonking herself between both of us. Mum has aged gracefully; her face still could probably sell perfume and she still looks beautiful. She wraps her arms around both me and Melody and for that moment I feel safe, in my mother's arms with my sister nearby.

There is a flash as Dad takes a picture of us all grinning at each other and I know that this year will be better than the last.


	11. 42 years

42 years

'Come on Abigail' Melody says holding out her hand 'it will be fun'

'You promise, no danger?' I ask, raising a questioning eyebrow

'Abby, it's a world of shops, what could possibly go wrong' Melody replies, giving me one of her persuading smiles.

'Fine' I say, giving in and putting my hand on top of her vortex manipulator. 'Just remember I need to get home so I can pick up the children form school and I'm flying to Singapore tomorrow, so I really need to be back on time-'

'Stop worrying Abby' Melody says interrupting me and I feel the familiar sensation of travelling through the time vortex. Since my first experience of travelling with Melody just over 20 years ago, I had got used to the sensation feeling like my innards were being squeezed through a tube, but it did not get any more comfortable.

'I'll never get use to that' I remark as we arrive with a jolt on the planet.

'Welcome to the planet of Matrix Oracle' Melody announces and I look around and I am astounded by the amount of shops.

'There are so many shops'

'Well what did you expect; I did tell you this was the planet of shops' Melody replies.

As I turn to look to look at my sister, I start laughing.

'What's so funny?'

'Your hair' I say pointing to the frizzy mass on top of her head. It had reached new levels of curliness and hair was surrounding her head as if she had been electrocuted.

'Damn, the time vortex' she muttered trying to smooth it down as I continued laughing. 'I don't know what's so funny, have you seen your hair?' she asks and I turn to look at my reflection in a nearby shop window. My hair is only looking slightly better than hers.

As we stand next to each other, looking at our reflection in the shop window, I can't help notice how similar we look, in age as well as appearance. I think this is the first time we've properly looked like sisters since we finally look around the same age. It hurts my head to think that I have aged from a baby to nearly middle age in the time it has taken Melody to develop a couple of wrinkles.

'You ok?' Melody asks, cutting through my thoughts

'Yeah, I was just wondering how we're going to pay for everything, since we don't actually have any money' I reply

'Well, this is why I might have pinched this off the Doctor the last time I saw him' and she held up a blank piece of card.

'What is it?' I ask curiously, staring at this white piece of card.

'It's a psychic credit card Abby!' she exclaims before dragging me off to the nearest shop 'we can get what ever we want!'


	12. 47 years

47 years

I stand still, staring coldly at the woman in front of me, my arms crossed as she walks towards me and wraps her arms around me, giving me a hug which I do not respond to.

'Abby what's the matter?' she asks puzzled at my lack of response 'I got your message, it sounded like something urgent'

'Melody, it was urgent 6 months ago!' I finally say exasperatedly.

Melody looks at me closely, her eyes widen at the sight of me dressed all in black 'What happened?' she whispers.

'Dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 6 months ago' I say slowly

'So where is he now?' she asks urgently

'Melody, he died last week; I've just been at his funeral'

'No!' she cries, making this heart wrenching noise. 'No he can't be!'

I feel compelled to comfort her. I take her into my arms as she sobs into my shoulder. I stroke her hair just like I had comforted Bryony a couple of hours earlier as we paid our final respects to her grandfather.

After a while Melody pulls out of the hug and looks up at me with red ringed eyes. 'I was on an archaeological dig' she mutters, as we stand in silence I notice that the expression in her eyes turns from one of sorrow to one of anger. 'Why didn't you let me know?' she shouts at me

'Do you know hard you are to get hold of?' I reply, equally angry 'but it's quite hard when we're hardly ever on the same planet! I tried everything, I wrote to you on the physic paper, I called your cell in the Stormcage, I called the time vortex hoping it redirect to you, I even tried calling the Doctor in the Tardis using the number from the back of Mum's diary, but none of you seem to answer your phones!'

Melody visibly slumps. 'But how did he get cancer, he was healthy, couldn't the doctors do anything?'

'Melody this isn't the 51st century where they've probably found the cure for everything, this is the 21st century where cancer of the pancreas is hard to diagnose until too late'

'But surely they could've given him some treatments to prolong his life?'

'Dad chose not to have treatment, he said he was tired of waiting' I reply, a tear trickling down my face as I recall that conversation I had with him after he had been diagnosed. 'I think he missed Mum'

'Rory Williams, the boy who waited' Melody whispers under her breath. I remember Mum calling him that when I was younger, I just though it mean he had to wait a couple of years before she realised that he liked her but when I finally found out the truth after I questioned my parents after the conversation I had had with Melody they told me about the Lone Centurion and the Pandorica. Mum had looked so lovingly at Dad when they told me that story; I had found it incredibly romantic.

Mum's death had hit Dad hard and he had never fully recovered from the shock. Mum had been killed in a hit and run accident a couple of years ago. She had died on impact, the police had told me when I had arrived at the scene to identify the body, so she had not felt any pain.

'He asked for you' I tell Melody, turning to face her. 'It was horrible trying to look after him and you were not there and trying to explain to him that you were not there and I did not know when you could take a break in your busy schedule to come and visit'

'Abby I'm sorry'

'And then how do you think it felt that in his last days he could not recognise me, he did not know who I was, but he called out for you, he actually called you Mels' I'm now on a roll, letting all the anger I have held against my sister for the past months out. 'He called out for Mum in the end before slipping into unconsciousness'

'Abby I'm so sorry' she says again, trying to come towards me but I step away from her.

'You are meant to me my older sister! You were meant to be there!' I shout at her. 'All my life I've been compared to you' I state ' I was a trouble maker just like Mels and it did not matter that I learnt to fly a plane and became a captain, River, she can pilot the Tardis! You even had a closer relationship with Mum and Dad, even though you spent most of the time off planet!' I stop, taking a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. This had been the first time I had realised that my older sister might not always be there for me and it had scared. All my life she had been there with her confident smile, telling me that everything was going to be alright. When Mum died, she was there to sort out and comfort Dad. His illness had been a huge shock to me and I did not know how to deal with it.

'Abby they loved you very much' she says walking towards me as I take another step backwards my hands outstretched to stop her coming closer. I feel tears running down my cheeks as I look at my older sister, with such jealousy.

We are both distracted by the distinctive sound of the Tardis appearing at the end of the garden.

'Abigail , just got your message, couldn't find River in her cell but what seems to be the-' he stops catching sight of me and Melody staring at each other.

'It seems as if you've got a lift home' I say to Melody, gesturing towards the blue police box which is currently squashing Dad's prized tomatoes.

'Abby maybe I should stay and help you sort out Dad's things'

'I don't need your help River' I reply and she visibly flinches as I say River. I had never called her that before even though everyone else had. Melody had been the special name between us 'I'm fine doing stuff by myself, like have been for the past six months' and I turn to walk towards the house.

'I'll be back soon' she promises.

'You don't need to come back' I reply before entering the house and shutting the door. I fling myself at a surprised Jack and collapse into his arms. I had tried to be strong, but now my resistance is crumbling.


	13. 56 years

56 years

I straighten Ella's crown of flowers as we wait outside the front of Leadworth's parish church waiting for the wedding photographs to take place. Ella was never one to wear a tiara, even as a child, so had a beautiful headband of white roses in her hair. She looked absolutely stunning and I am incredibly proud.

'Mum, stop fussing' she remarks as I start to straighten her veil 'its fine'. At that moment her eyes light up as her new husband, Patrick, comes over and offers her his arm as he leads her over to where the photographer wants all the pictures to be taken.

Ella is the spitting image of her grandmother, though she has Jack's dark hair, not my blazing red. I look around trying to locate Jack and I find him standing next to our youngest Bryony, who is wearing a teal coloured dress, and Dominic, who is struggling to keep hold of his top hat as the wind blows strongly.

I suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure bent kneeling next to headstone at the edge of the church yard. Mum and Dad's grave. The curly haired woman, as if she senses my gaze on her, stands up and turns to look in my direction. She raises her hand as if to acknowledge that she as seen me and I raise mine in response.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that she is here, since she is Ella's unofficial godmother. I know she's been watching over Ella, the money to help pay for Ella's university fees suddenly appearing in our account and a mysterious blue box appearing just in time for Ella's graduation from medical school. That being said and all those close encounters, Melod-River and I actually hadn't spoken to each other since Dad's funeral nearly ten years ago.

Looking back it wasn't her fault that she was not there more, she tried to escape as many times as possible to come and visit us and I guess living in the future you have no concept of how quickly time is passing or what you are missing at home. I beckon her over, I know Ella would love to see her Aunty Mel again, but she shakes her head, gives me a small smile and disappears at the touch of her trusty vortex manipulator.

'Come on Mum!' Bryony says, coming up behind me and grabbing hold my hand 'Ella wants family pictures now' and she drags me towards the rest of the family who were being arranged dutifully by the photographer. I hear Bryony grumbling beside me as she fidgets in her bridesmaid dress. Though Ella might look like Mum, Bryony inherited Mum's and I guess my temper, as well as red hair.

As I stand amongst all my family I can't help feel like someone is missing


	14. 69 years

69 years

'Nana, who's that?' Nina asks whilst sitting on the floor, pointing at a picture in one of my old photo albums.

'Bring it over here dear' I say digging into my pocket to find my glasses, since my eyesight isn't as good as it was when I was younger, so I can actually see what she is pointing at.

'Nana, who's that?' my 4 year old granddaughter repeats, coming to sit next to me on the old sofa. Her cousins and older brother are out playing with their grandfather in the garden, but Nina had decided to stay inside and keep me company as I recovered from my hip replacement.

Her finger is still pointing at the woman in question, as she slides the photo album onto my lap and snuggling into my side. I wrap my arm around her as I gaze at the picture; it is me and Melody, champagne glasses in hand, grinning at whoever was taking the picture.

'That's Melody' I reply, my throat tightening as I remember my sister, a sister I had not seen in several years. The last time I had caught a glimpse of her was at Connie's christening five years ago.

'Who's Melody?' Nina asks curiously.

'Melody is my sister' I tell her.

'Like I'm Tom's sister?' she asks

'Yes, except she's my older sister and you are Thomas' younger sister' I answer

'But why have I never met her?' she says, asking me another question.

I don't really know how to answer this question; I can hardly tell her that her great aunt is a time travelling, innocent murderer, who is locked up in a prison in the future. Finally I settle for 'she's away travelling a lot since she's an archaeologist'

'An archaeolologist?' she says mispronouncing the new unfamiliar word.

'Archaeologist, it means that she goes to historical sites and investigates them'

Nina just nods, looking closely at the picture. 'You look really happy' she says finally, her finger tracing over mine and Melody's similar curls.

'That was taken by my father at a new year's party' I reply 'and that's my mother' I say pointing to the grey haired lady sitting between us. As I say this it suddenly hits me that I'm around the same age as my mother was when this picture was taken, only a few years before she died. That is a frightening thought and I suddenly feel very old.

'Melody looks nice' Nina comments, flicking through the album to see if there are anymore photos of both of us. She doesn't find anymore because they are in a separate album so no awkward questions could be asked about this woman who seems to look the same in every photo. Then another horrible though hits me. All my life I have looked younger than Melody, until I reached my forties and early fifties when we practically looked the same age. I look down at Nina who has now curled up at my side, her thumb is in her mouth, though her mother is trying to make her stop sucking it, and her other hand has found its way into my now white curls. While Melody probably still looks the same, bar a few new wrinkles, I'm old, grey and a grandmother.

As I stroke my granddaughter's brown messy curls, I wish I could see Melody again. I know I hurt her when I told her that I no longer needed her after our father died, but that was over twenty years ago. Then I realise, though it is twenty two years for me, it could only be yesterday for Melody.


	15. 85 years

85 years

The door bell rings loudly.

'Coming!' I shout, and walk steadily to the door, leaning on the wall for support. Dominic had bought me a lovely walking stick for my birthday last year, but I'm not that old. I fumble with the locks and open the door expecting it to be Ella or Bryony or even the milk man or next door neighbour, coming round to check on me to make sure I'm ok. These people have all popped over regularly to make sure I'm aright living by myself, ever since Jack passed away. Heart attack, the doctors told me. Ella had tried to explain everything to me, but used all this medical jargon which I did not understand. All I realised was that Jack was gone.

However the person standing on the doormat of my home is the person I least expect.

'Melody' I whisper, grabbing the door frame for support.

'Abby, is that you?' she asks, staring at me in shock 'but yesterday we were...' she trials off

'Why don't you come in' I suggest, opening the door wider so she can follow me inside. 'Would you like a cup tea?' I ask and she nods wordlessly, looking around my living room.

I slip into the kitchen to make the tea, remembering to add the one and a half spoons of sugar that I remember Melody liked. It still amazed and at the same time confused me, that I could remember something as trivial as that, but had trouble sometimes remembering what day of the week it was. I guess I was getting old.

As I walk into living room with the cup of tea in hand, Melody is peering closely at all the family photos I have dotted around the room including one from Ella's wedding, Bryony's engagement party, one of Dominic and his wife holding their newborn daughter, Nina and a picture of me and Jack on our golden wedding anniversary. I pass the cup of tea into her hands before sinking into the nearby armchair and watching her walk around the room.

'I've missed so much' Melody whispers sitting down in the chair next to me, the chair Jack used to sit in.

I remember catching sight of Melody at all those important occasions and more so I wonder what she is talking about and then I take a closer look at her and everything suddenly falls into place.

'What happened yesterday?' I ask her, trying to confirm my suspicions

'It was Dad's funeral yesterday' she replies 'and you told me that you didn't need me but I promised I would be back so I came back and now you're...' she pauses trying to think of how to finish the sentence nicely.

'Old' I say, finishing the sentence for her. She nods, taking a sip from her cup of tea.

'How long has it been for you Abby?' she asks quietly

'Nearly 38 years' I reply.

'I promise I'll be back tomorrow' she tells me as she leaves the house 'we have so much to catch up on' and with that promise she disappears with a flash of white light.

As she goes I smile because I know where she is going now, she's going to go to all the family events that she missed. It hurts my head all this 'timey-wimey ness', that's what my mother used to call it, all this messing with timelines and I wonder if she will keep her promise.

* * *

><p>The door bell rings loudly, waking me up from my mid morning daydream.<p>

'I'm coming!' I shout at the door and standing up slowly to walk towards it and open it. As I approach the door in the hall way, I hear a funny buzzing noise and to my astonishment the door unlocks and opens and Melody enters the house.

'The Doctor gave me his sonic screwdriver' she says, answering my unspoken question. 'How are you Abby?' she asks, giving me a big hug and leading me into the living room.

'I'm ok, no different from last month' I reply

'Last month' she whispers to herself, as if she is trying, without the aid of her diary to remember what happened last month. 'You mean I actually got the date wrong!' she exclaims 'I can't believe it! Oh I'm so sorry Abby!'

'Don't worry, you're here now' I reply calmly. Now I'm older I don't feel like kicking up as much of a fuss as I used to when Melody got the date wrong, I'm just glad that she has remembered to come and visit me. 'How long has it been for you?' I ask curiously, wondering how long it took her to go back in my timeline and see all the important occasions.

'A while' she replies evasively, just like she used to when I was younger when I asked lost of difficult questions. I looks at her closely, she seems much older that the Melody I saw last month, her eyes are older, much older and her hair is a different colour, no longer blond, more a golden brown.

'So the Doctor gave you his screwdriver?' I ask, referring to the man, my parents' best friend, I had not seen in years.

'He took me to the singing towers of Darillium' she tells me 'and he told me I would need this on my next expedition. I thought I should come and visit you before I left, just to make sure that my little sister is ok'

'I'm older than you!' I retort

'In appearances, maybe' she replies just as vaguely as before, her eyes twinkling as she teases me. It amazes me that after so many years, we fit back into the easy banter and relationship we had when we were younger.

'Where are you going?' I ask curiously

'There is this planet that it just one big library' she replies and she explains to me the aim of her expedition and it sounds rather exciting. A planet filled with books where everyone had mysteriously dispeared.

'You'll be back to visit soon?' I ask as she tells that she needs to go and pack before the shuttle arrives to pick her up. 'The children would love to see their Aunty Mel again'. She just laughs since she knows that the children probably look older than her now.

'I'll try and visit you after I get back from The Library' she promises, giving me one last hug and a kiss on the cheek before disappearing into the time vortex.


	16. 92 years

92 years

'Abigail there's a nice gentleman here to see you' the lady says opening the door of my room. I nod hearing her but don't bother to open my eyes.

With the aid of my hearing aid, I hear someone enter to room. The nice gentleman is probably Dominic, my son, or Thomas or Rober-Richard, one of grandsons. I mentally scold myself for forgetting Richard's name. I'm getting more and more forgetful and it scares me, but how can I communicate this with anyone when my family sees me as the mad grandmother. Ella, a couple of years ago, when my memory started to really go, persuaded me move into a home. 'They will be able to look after you better Mum' she had told me as they had wheeled me around the home. Oh it is nice enough here, but it is not home.

Now I'm older I find myself living more and more in the past, especially since it becomes increasingly harder to remember the present and I don' think about the future.

'Hello Abigail' comes a voice, a voice I have not heard in a long time. My eyes fly open and I find myself looking the Doctor. He still is dressed as peculiarly as I remembered, with his outrageous bowtie, tweed coat and floppy brown hair'

'Doctor' I whisper as he comes to sit on the stool next to me

'Hello Abigail' he repeats

'Is Melody with you?' I ask, looking towards the door, expecting my curly haired sister to walk through any minute, filled with exciting stories about her expedition to The Library. It had been seven years since I had last seen her but I know she would come back because she always does.

'No' he replies, shaking his head. I look at him more closely, peering through my glasses to look at the time lord in front of me. This is most peculiar; the Doctor has never come and visits me before unless Melody was with him.

'Why are you here?' I ask, sensing something is wrong.

'I came to give you this' he replies, taking out a familiar battered diary out of a pocket in his tweed jacket and handing it over to me.

I run my fingers over the Tardis blue leather of the front cover. 'But this is Melody's diary, how did you get hold of it?' I ask in amazement, remembering that she carried it on her person at all times. The Doctor does not reply but looks at me sadly as if he is trying to find the right words tell me something, which is highly unusual for him.

'What happened to Melody?' I say, asking him another question.

He mumbles something that I can't hear.

'Doctor, I'm quite deaf, can you repeat that?'

'The Library' he says finally.

The Library, that's where Melody's expedition was, 'What happened in the Library Doctor?' I ask, pushing for more information.

The Doctor sighs, talks my old, bony hands in his and tells me everything.

I feel numb. The Doctor must be lying- he has to be lying, she can't be gone. No, no, it can't be true, she's my older sister, my unbeatable sister and she can't have left me. I feel alone.

I look up at the Doctor who was now standing up looking out of the window his back facing me. Slowly I open the diary and flick through the pages which contain various adventures until I reach the last page, hoping to find out something else about the Library. I see something written in Melody's flowing writing. I hold the diary up closely so I can make out the words

_Dear Abby _

I read on

_I promised you that I would come back and visit but now that does not see likely. Over to the right of me, a younger version of the Doctor is chained up to a pole, lying unconscious since, I had to knock him out. It hurts so much Abby, he doesn't know who I am and I suddenly feel very alone. I knew this day would come but it doesn't make it any the less painful. I guess that is the price I have to pay for loving such an impossible man. I know that when he wakes up he will demand to take my place, but I can't let him do that Abby, I can't let him rewrite all those times we had together, I can't let him rewrite all our histories. _

_I know I haven't been the best sister over the years but I love you so much. The first moment I met you, when you were six months old, I promised I would do my best to keep you safe so you would not have the childhood that I had. You were so small. I watched you grow over the years into an amazing woman; you became a wife, a pilot, a mother and a grandmother, fulfilling all your dreams._

_I'm so, so sorry that we will never see each other again and you will probably never read this, but I just want you to know who much I love you and you are the best little sister I could have wished for_

_Melody x_

I close the diary and a tear slowly meanders down my face, followed by another and another.I look up and The Doctor has gone, he must've slipped out of the room while I wasn't looking. I doubt I will see him again.

* * *

><p>I drift off into an uneasy sleep, images of Melody haunt me. I remember all the good times we had together and I wish we had had more. I remember celebrating birthdays and my exam results, the birth all my children and taking her to see their plays and shows. I remember dancing around the house with Mum, Dad and Melody after we had too much to drink one Christmas. I remember her giving me a comforting hug when Mum died. I remember her cofidence and her bright smile. I remember how much she loved me.<p>

I find myself soaring though the clouds, higher and higher through the sky, just like I used to when I was pilot. I go up further and further until I can see the curvature of the Earth, I see the edge of space. As I dream, I am flying amongst the stars, through the depths of space, seeing the wonders of the universe and it is so beautiful.

* * *

><p><em>The End<em>

_I hope you have enjoyed this little work of fanfiction. This story was an experiment for me, since I have never written something like this before, this style of writitng so I would really appreciate it it if you could review and let me know what you thought. A huge thank you for reading!_

_Cherry :)_


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